Our Board

Bev Comfort,
Past President

Bev’s teaching career began with Physical Education and Math at Parkside High School. After 13 years, she moved to Waterdown District High School to teach Physical Education and work in Guidance. Bev retired in June of 2009 as Head of Student Services

Bev’s first exposure to OELC was as a grade 11 student when she attended the then Girls’ Athletics Course. She vowed to return as a Teacher Facilitator, a goal reached in 1983 working as a TF for the very same course she attended. For 10 years Bev was part of the Secondary Athletics Leadership Course, including being a member of the administrative team that merged the girls’ and boys’ courses together and serving as a Course Manager. As a board member Bev has assumed several roles including alumni representative, Secretary Treasurer and Vice-President before being elected to her current position as President. She is passionate about OELC and committed to providing the life-changing experience that it gives to students and staff alike.

Judy Blaney,
President

During her rich and full 30-year teaching career, Judy has worked in a range of diverse geographical, cultural and social educational contexts throughout Canada. She has also spent the past 19 years in teacher education, recently retiring from teaching in the Master of Teaching Program at OISE/University of Toronto. Judy brings her years of knowledge and experience to OELC, along with her passion and particular interests in the areas of inclusive, culturally responsive educational practices, restorative approaches and professional learning communities.

Judy has had a personal and professional involvement with OELC since 1995. She is most proud of her initial role as a parent and later, as creator and first Course Director of the Grade 6 Leadership Course for the Intellectually Curious. Her bio would not be complete without acknowledging the essential role of family and friends in all parts of her life.

Len Dunkley,
Vice-President

Len is a teaching administrator (VP) with the Simcoe County District School Board. In his role, he is focused on building capacity via mentoring students to lead by example and get involved within their school and community (academic, intramurals, clubs and athletics).

Len’s OELC experience began in 1987 when he attended the Secondary Athletics Leadership Course as a student leader. He returned as a Teacher Facilitator with the Elementary Fine Arts Course in 2001 and has participated as a Teacher Facilitator with the Ministry of Education’s Speak Up Student Forums and as a Course Administrator with the Intermediate Student Leadership Course. Len continues to contribute to OELC and his passion for building capacity through his current role on the Board of directors.

Becky Green,
Vice-President

Becky is a Superintendent of Schools with the York Region District School Board.  She has over thirty years of experience within four school boards with twenty-five years of learning and leading with the York Region DSB.  Becky’s leadership skills were fostered and developed at OELC.  She believes the learning she engaged in with educators and students across the province were the foundations for her years in the classroom, as an administrator, Board Literacy lead and as a School Superintendent.  She believes her OELC experiences have been instrumental in much of the work she has done, including her role in schools in ensuring the well-being, and academic achievement for all students with a keen interest on social justice, concussion management and modern learning.

Becky has been a Teacher Facilitator at the Secondary Athletics Leadership Course and Course Coordinator for Secondary Music and the Elementary Fine Arts Leadership courses.  She is an avid believer in OELC programs as they provide youth with experiences to develop their leadership beliefs, skills, knowledge, empathy and passion for change while building their confidence and abilities to make a difference within their communities and schools.

Réjean Godmaire,
Director

Réjean is a teacher currently living in Ottawa with his wife and two children. He is a member of the teaching staff in the Sports-Études program at École secondaire Franco-Cité. Réjean is an active role model for franco-ontarian causes across the province, through high-school sports, community events and his involvement at CASO /OELC.

Réjean has been associated with CASO/OELC since 1999 as a Teacher-Facilitator, Course Coordinator, Course Director and now as a sworn member of the Board. Réjean believes that CASO/OELC is a stepping-stone for youth and that all leaders who have benefited from an experience at CASO/OELC are definitive models for their peers. He is very passionate about leadership and strives to inspire student leaders from across the province to get involved in their respective communities.

Amit Unadkat,
Director

Amit is a Consultant in the Risk Management group at Deloitte, where he focuses on serving clients in the financial services sector.

Amit first came to OELC as a Leader Counselor for the Grade 6 Leadership for Innovation and Creativity course in 2009 – a year after he had moved to Canada from East Africa, Tanzania. He has since been passionately involved, and continues to remain so as a Teacher Facilitator, every year. Each year has brought new forms of professional development for Amit, and he firmly believes that OELC has directly contributed to his growth and success throughout university and into his career.

Amit joined the OELC Board of Directors in 2015 with the goal to further contribute to the organization and has set a goal to make OELC a household name throughout Ontario.

Philippa Thompson,
Director

Philippa is a proud alumnus of OELC and a passionate advocate of leadership, coaching and mentoring. Originally, she participated in the Secondary Athletics session and loved it so much she that she returned to work at the Centre as a Junior Counsellor for the Elementary course and then as an office administrator for the following 3 years.

Philippa has held a number of positions within sales and marketing across a number of enterprise organizations and is currently the Director of Sales Operations at Zayo Canada, focused on  sales effectiveness, sales operating data and reporting, and customer relationship management. She continues to participate actively in sports and is enjoying watching and supporting her twin girls as they grow into their own leadership potential.

Philippa joined the OELC Board of Directors in 2015 and is committed to helping the organization through its ongoing evolution to continued success.

David McMurray,
Director

David McMurray is Vice President, Student Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON. His post-secondary educational vision is focused on holistic student learning and development within a pedagogical framework linking academic disciplines, high impact teaching and learning practices, and experiential learning stretching both in and beyond the classroom. He has a particular passion for student leadership development.

David’s Masters’ thesis in Human Kinetics, completed in 1989 at the University of Windsor, was focused on The Organizational Growth and Development of the Ontario Student Leadership Centre 1948-1988. This research, starting from the very beginning of the current OELC’s history as the Ontario Athletic Leadership Camp, provided multiple recommendations on organizational structure, funding, and a revised curriculum. A unique and collaborative longitudinal development plan was recommended and accepted by the Ministry of the day, including a new Board of Management organizational model and supporting capital investment and operational business plans.

As a new board member in 2017, David is eager to return to support the continued long term vision of excellence in educational leadership at the OELC.

Karen Albertson,
Director

Karen has enjoyed an exciting career in education, working with culturally and socio-economic diverse populations as a teacher in southern Ontario, as well as an administrator in Toronto and the Beausoleil First Nation. She hails from Northern Ontario and is an advocate for equity and social justice issues. She has supported and developed innovative, cooperative and experiential educational practices, enabling students to develop their self-awareness, confidence and critical thinking skills to help them face social, emotional and educational issues.

Since 2010, she has been actively involved with OELC in various capacities. These include Centre Manager, Teacher Facilitator for Ministry of Education initiatives and the Grade 6 Leadership for Innovation and Creativity Course. More recently, she was Co-Director of the Indigenous Leadership Gathering.

Karen brings her passion for youth leadership development to the board, and is excited to be part of a team to set new direction and further develop the growth and outreach of OELC.

Marty (Martha) Deacon,
Director

Marty has been an educator for 33 years with the Waterloo DSB. She was an elementary and secondary school teacher administrator, consultant and recently finished her career as Superintendent with the WRDSB. Marty has been passionate about youth and creating healthy, active environments where all can be successful, healthy and emotionally strong.

Marty has extended her leadership nationally and internationally in a number of forums. She has coached and led teams at several Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan American Games. She sits on the Executive Board of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Commonwealth Games Canada and other international organizations focused on excellence and deep values. Marty has chaired several committees that focus on education, youth and community outreach. Marty believes sport and physical activity can build strong communities throughout the world.

Marty has very fond memories of her role as a Teacher Facilitator at the Secondary Athletics Leadership Course at OELC. Marty believes this experience was pivotal in the development of her leadership skills and professional desires. She has continued to promote and advocate for all schools in her region to participate in programs offered at OELC.

Chris Hewitt,
Director

Chris is Associate Vice President and Head of Marketing for EveryDay Banking and Digital Banking at TD Bank. He has held progressively senior roles in product management and marketing at TD and previously at Canadian Tire Bank. Chris is a graduate of Cornell and Queen's MBA programs and currently teaches marketing and strategy part-time at Wilfrid Laurier's Lazaridis School of Business.

Chris is passionate about leadership development and community development and serves as the Chair of the Finance and Audit committee for Lutherwood, a children's mental health non-profit in Kitchener Waterloo.

His connection to OELC includes attending as a participant in the Secondary Athletics program and working as an OELC Leader Counsellor. Chris lives in Cambridge with his wife and three children.